Positioning means



March 15, 1966 J. H. DELI- ASE 3,240,521

POSITIONING MEANS Filed June 28, 1961 FIG. 2

JNVENTOR. JosE. H. DELHAQE.

United States Patent 3,240,521 POSITIONING MEANS Jose H. Delhase, 116 Blvd, de La Reine, Versailles, France Filed June 23, 1961, Ser. No. 131,038 Claims priority, application France, Feb. 18, 1961, 853,208, Patent 1,288,953 2 Claims. (Cl. 292-99) This invention relates to an improved positioning means, and it relates particularly to mechanisms which are adapted for holding one member with respect to a second member in a pre-selected position.

There are certain undesirable characteristics in the various mechanisms available for holding members in pre-selected relative positions. Thus, present means for holding doors and the like in closed positions or ajar present many mechanical difliculties, are generally noisy, are prone to undue wear, and present such complicated workings that upkeep is expensive and annoying.

It is an objective of this invention to provide an improved positioning mechanism for doors and the like which eliminates the difficulties prevalent in prior art devices.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved positioning mechanism which is not characterized by noisy operation or undue wear, which is of relatively simple construction, which is easily installed, and which requires little maintenance.

These and other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter and, for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, specific embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a detail view of an engaging mechanism particularly suitable for refrigerators and the like; and

FIGURE 2 is :a detail view of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 1 in closed position.

The present invention may be broadly characterized by mechanisms for positioning one member with respect to a second member in one or more pre-selected positions. The mechanisms generally include a rotatable body fixed to one of the members and means for receiving the rotatable body fixed to the other of the members. At least one of the rotatable and receiving means is manufactured of a flexible material whereby the rotatable body may be snugly received and resiliently held by the receiving means.

The operation of the arrangements is largely dependent on the provision of flexible members in the assemblies whereby a snug fit may be obtained. The operation will be described with reference to the provision of flexible members as shown in the drawings. However, in almost all cases there may be reversal of the flexible character between the receiving and projecting portions of the apparatus, and furthermore, it will be apparent that the provision of one or the other means on a movable or stationary member is not to be considered limiting. In this case also the receiving and projecting means are interchangeable.

The provision of the flexible members in the arrangements of this invention leads in all cases to the compression of the member when it is engaged by the cooperating means associated therewith. It will be apparent that a distinct advantage of this operation resides in the fact that the movable and stationary members are resiliently but securely held and that friction between the engaging members is virtually eliminated, thus providing a noiseless and essentially maintenance free mechanism.

A specific concept of this invention resides in the means for providing for the closing of refrigerator doors 3,240,521 Patented Mar. 15, 1966 or the like, shown in FIGURES 1 and L2. The illustrated mechanisms are particularly suitable for refrigerators due to the more definite clamping effect available. But they are, of course, contemplated for other devices wherein a more secure closure is desired.

The illustrated arrangement comprises a bracket 13!) which may be secured to either the movable or stationary member of a refrigerator. First and second recesses 132 are provided in the arm 134 of the bracket, and an additional arm 136 of the bracket is provided for the pivotal mounting of an element 138 at 140. A third recess 142 is formed in the element 138, and a projecting means 144 comprising an arm 146 and a rotatable member 148 is adapted to engage the element 138 when it is desired to close the door. In the closing operation the rotatable means 148 will ride on the slope 150 leading to the recess 142. A second rotatable member 152 is dimensioned to seat Within the recesses 132 depending on whether the door is opened or closed. The members 148 and 152 are preferably the members which are formed of flexible materials. However, the element 138 may be so manufactured whereby the element will give during the traverse of the rotatable members 148 and 152. An arm 154 is secured to the element 138 and a handle 155 is preferably fastened to the arm 154. Thus, movement of the projecting means and element 138 with respect to each other will clearly provide for a secure clamping of the projecting means with respect to the element 138.

The above described unitary assemblies are characterized by economical manufacture, quiet operation, virtual elimination of wear due to the friction-free rotatable members employed, and, at the same time, are characterized by the securing of the described members in a highly desirable manner. It will be understood that various modifications may be made in these assemblies which provide the characteristics of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, particularly as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism for positioning a movable member with respect to a stationary member wherein one of said members is movable toward and away from the other of said members, the improvement comprising a bracket fixed to one of said members, first and second recesses formed in said bracket, means pivotally mounted on said bracket having a first rotatable means secured thereto adapted to be passed into and out of said first and second recesses from an open to a closed position, a third recess formed in said pivotally mounted means, a bearing slope formed in said pivotally mounted means leading to said third recess, means secured to the other of said members including a second rotatable means adapted to ride on said bearing slope and to be received in said third recess, at least one of said rotatable means and said pivotally mounted means being formed of a resilient material whereby movement of said one member toward the other of said members will cause the second rotatable means to ride on said bearing slope and to be received in said third recess, and will result in pivoting of said pivotally mounted means whereby said first rotatable means is moved from one of said first and second recesses to the other to a closed position, and including an arm operatively connected to the means pivotally mounted on said bracket, a handle associated with said arm, said handle and arm being provided for forcing the first rotatable means on said pivotally mounted means to said closed position and thereby providing for clamping of said second rotatable means with respect to said pivotally mounted means.

2. A mechanism in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second recesses are defined by a first out- 3 4 Wardly extending element formed integrally With said 2,317,277 4/1943 Knuth 292-15 bracket, and wherein said pivotally mounted means is 2,837,361 6/1958 Loeb 29215 connected to a second outwardly extending element formed FOREIGN PATENTS integrally with said bracket beneath said first element. 5 1216744 11/1959 France References Cited by the Examiner 857926 1/1961 Great Britain UNITED STATES PATENTS JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner. 1,089,193 3/191 Efvien 29215 DONLEY J. STOCKING, M. HENSON WOOD, 111.,

2,129,926 9/1938 Geske et a1. 29299 10 ALBERT KAMPE, Examiners 

1. IN A MECHANISM FOR POSITIONING A MOVABLE MEMBER WITH RESPECT TO A STATIONARY MEMBER WHEREIN ONE OF SAID MEMBERS IS MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A BRACKET FIXED TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, FIRST AND SECOND RECESSES FORMED IN SAID BRACKET, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID BRACKET HAVING A FIRST ROTATABLE MEANS SECURED THERETO ADAPTED TO BE PASSED INTO AND OUT OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND RECESSES FROM AN OPEN TO A CLOSED POSITION, A THIRD RECESS FORMED IN SAID PIVOTALLY MOUNTED MEANS, A BEARING SLOPE FORMED IN SAID PIVOTALLY MOUNTED MEANS LEADING TO SAID THIRD RECESS, MEANS SECURED TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS INCLUDING A SECOND ROTATABLE MEANS ADAPTED TO RIDE ON SAID BEARING SLOPE AND TO BE RECEIVED IN SAID THIRD RECESS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ROTATABLE MEANS AND SAID PIVOTALLY MOUNTED MEANS BEING FORMED OF A RESILIENT MATERIAL WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID ONE MEMBER TOWARD THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS WILL CAUSE THE SECOND ROTATABLE MEANS TO RIDE ON SAID BEARING SLOPE AND TO BE RECEIVED IN SAID THIRD RECESS, AND WILL RESULT IN PIVOTING OF SAID PIVOTALLY MOUNTED MEANS WHEREBY SAID FIRST ROTATBLE MEANS IS MOVED FROM ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND RECESSES TO THE OTHER TO A CLOSED POSITION, AND INCLUDING AN ARM OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID BRACKET, A HANDLE ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ARM, SAID HANDLE AND ARM BEING PROVIDED FOR FORCING THE FIRST ROTATABLE MEANS ON SAID PIVOTALLY MOUNTED MEANS TO SAID CLOSED POSITION AND THEREBY PROVIDING FOR CLAMPING OF SAID SECOND ROTATABLE MEANS WITH RESPECT TO SAID PIVOTALLY MOUNTED MEANS. 